"Israel" not invited to Ukraine solidarity conference in Paris

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al-Monitor
14 Dec 2022 15:54
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In another move to pressure “Israel” to send weapons to Ukraine, the occupation did not receive an invitation to the Paris-held conference.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaking on a screen in the "Solidarity with Ukrainian people" conference, held at the French Foreign Affairs Ministry, in Paris, on December 13, 2022. (AFP)

“Israel” was not invited to the international solidarity conference for Ukraine held by French authorities in the capital, Paris.

The conference will focus on the reconstruction of Ukrainian facilities, and is attended by European Union states, the United States, and international organizations, in addition to Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain.

Speaking to Al-Monitor, French diplomatic sources revealed that the invite lists were decided on between France and Ukraine, with Ukraine being the most likely to have ditched “Israel” – it won’t be the first time.

In November, the UN General Assembly's Fourth Committee voted in favor of requesting the International Court of Justice to give its legal opinion on the bloody situation in Palestine and “Israel” as well as Israeli annexation. Ukraine supported the resolution, surprising the Israelis. On December 1, Ukraine supported a UN call for an Israeli-Palestinian "peace parley" to be held in Russia, however the initiative was rejected by “Israel.”

The diplomatic acts work as pressure by Ukraine on “Israel” to take a stronger stance toward the war in Ukraine. Although “Israel” has been sending humanitarian assistance since the very beginning of the war in Ukraine, Kiev has been pressuring “Israel” to provide weapons and military aid, which “Tel Aviv” refused over and over.

“Israel” established a field hospital in Ukraine that treated over 6,000 Ukrainians through its 6 weeks of operation, in addition to providing six large power generators.

In October, Ukrainian Ambassador to "Israel" Yevgen Korniychuk told The Hill newspaper during a phone call that Kiev requested that the US put pressure on "Tel Aviv" to deliver weapons to Ukraine and monitor "Israel's" compliance with imposed sanctions on Moscow.

"The Americans are the only country that Israel is listening to," Korniychuk told the newspaper, pointing out that relations between Ukraine and "Tel Aviv" have expanded during the past week "on some technical issues related to defense," which included advanced missile warning systems.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in late September that he was "shocked" the Israeli occupation was not joining the West in supplying Kiev with weapons in light of the Ukraine war.